29th and 30th of May, 2022.
The rain stops and I manage to finish my last two days of writing.
The ladies in the restaurant turn out to be very friendly so I ask again (for the third time) if they can fill my water bottle. I could not find any public fountain around the village.
I cross the stone bridge towards my camping spot. I try to find the flattest spot to put up my tent but I am only 98% succeeded, and perhaps because of that, I don’t know, I don’t have a very good night of sleep, waking up many times during the night.
But the spot is for sure one of the most beautiful ones I have ever camped. Unfortunately I was lazy enough to not come out of my tent, all the way to the stone bridge (which was not far at all), and take a nice photograph. My photograph on the next morning would not be true to the beauty of my camping spot. Anyway, at least I had enough time to read a lot, to wash my self and my socks in the river, and to eat my dinner all under the sunlight.
A few cows passed by and sniff the tent. But only in the morning a bull was really annoying. He buzzed off after I open the tent and showed myself. He was a big bull!
Only in the morning I figure that it was probably not the best idea trying to hitchhike back to Mestia in the morning time. The tourists start to come here after 10 o’clock and probably spend a few hours around before going back.
While I am making a decision by a shade, near the bus stop, a young lady comes and ask me if I know about the bus parked there going back to Mestia. After I tell her not know anything, she asks the driver. They both come in my direction and she tells me it costs 15 Lira but he still does not have enough people. I have told her before that I would hitchhike my way out so I don’t really understand why is she telling me that. So I tell both of them that I don’t have money at all.
I decide to walk. But before I start I figure it might take some time until somebody pick me up. Basically now I am only in the hands of the locals. So I try and ask for some old bread in the closest (and open) cafe to me. A young boy try to help but after checking the kitchen he tells me his cook took everything from last night. But he offers me some biscuits which are by the register.
Ready to leave, I play a little bit with this super cute tiny little dog. But soon enough I notice he is following me. I try to stop him many times because I am worried about him. After Ushguli it will take a long time until the next village. What if he get lost? What will he do about food? Water he can get anywhere around here with the river and waterfalls everywhere. I even ask an very elderly man coming across me, if he can make the tiny dog come back to the village. He try and I see he does his best, but the stubborn tiny dog keeps coming. I didn’t even give him food! The truth is, trying to make him to leave, and not being able to take him with me it crushes me. I was more sad on having to leave him than I was before with many humans.
Not much time pass when I see a small truck coming from Ushguli. I know it is a local. But I also recognize another person inside: the young lady who asked me about the bus before. I am now thinking she is just doing hitchhiking because that was what she told me she would do in case the bus was not going to Mestia. But soon enough I would know that she wasn’t.
I ask the man if I could get in the back of his truck and he says yes. I didn’t even tell him I cannot pay because riding on the trunk it kind of already tell that itself.
I am happy to be in the trunk. It is sunny, the views are amazing and I think I can take some cool photographs. But soon enough my happiness is disturbed when I see the tiny dog running after the trunk. What? I was so sure that after I get in a car he would come back and let it go. But no! He was running and running like the wind!
The super cute tiny little dog was running after us for several minutes. Because of the terrible roads, the truck could not go much faster so that was giving him some breaks. Why was him following me so determinedly? I think that dog loved me more than many people in m life.
I finally knock on the window and tell them the situation. I was thinking about taking him also on the back with me and give him a ride either to the next village or to Mestia. But the lady tells me, translating from the man, that strayed dogs here do that all the time and he would be just fine. Reluctantly, and not able to do much, I say OK. Heartless people…
When we reach the next village, the road gets much better so we can finally speed up. It was the last time I saw the cute tiny little dog. At least, he was near another village now.
My peace is disrupted again soon. The driver stops the truck and tells me I must get out otherwise he can get in trouble with the police. It is when things get weird with the young girl. I thought I would have to take my stuff and stand by the road, but she says I can ride inside also, with her. It is also when she asks me if I would like to contribute with the ride. What? Do you have amnesia or something? Do you think I was lying back in there when I told you I don’t have money at all? I repeat that information to her followed by the fact that, because I was riding in the back I didn’t even consider on paying but also because that is the principle of hitchhiking. She reply that he has costs with the petrol. Oh, no! Really? Bun he is going on that way anyway, isn’t he? Giving you a ride don’t increase his costs with petrol. And I think he would even be cool with that but she probably was the one who offered to pay him anyway since the beginning. Oh, people nowadays can only live and think about paying, paying, paying. They can only live while they are buying something. Even if it is an innocent lift.
I consider taking my stuff and when I am about to do it, perhaps recognizing her mistake, she tells me I should come because she is paying anyway, but she just wanted to check if I wanted to contribute. I think what a hell and get in the truck.
We chat a little bit during the drive. She is from Germany. Even though we have some fun, in many moments I notice that she is not the kind of person I would like to be friends with it. Nothing like my adorable Kate from yesterday. We say our goodbyes in Mestia.
